variants
or less commonly byelaw
1
: a rule adopted by an organization chiefly for the government of its members and the regulation of its affairs
2
: a local ordinance
Examples of bylaw in a Sentence
the club's bylaws bar any member whose annual dues remain unpaid from voting in the election
Recent Examples on the Web
But because the board’s total number of trustees was less than the minimum of 13 described in the bylaws, there could be no votes on items, according to several sources.
—
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
Boards cannot borrow unilaterally, unless the bylaws contain that right.
—Jill Terreri Ramos, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Kiely said such a requirement does not exist in the bylaws and that has been a problem in previous years.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
But Wright was still an Academy member when the no-resale regulations were enacted in 1951, and therefore, the bylaws still applied to him.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bylaw
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Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
Boards cannot borrow unilaterally, unless the bylaws contain that right.
—Jill Terreri Ramos, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Kiely said such a requirement does not exist in the bylaws and that has been a problem in previous years.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
But Wright was still an Academy member when the no-resale regulations were enacted in 1951, and therefore, the bylaws still applied to him.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bylaw
Cite this Entry
“Bylaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bylaw. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bylaw
noun
by·law
ˈbī-ˌlȯ 
: a rule adopted by an organization for governing its members and regulating its affairs
Etymology
Middle English bilawe "bylaw," probably from an early Norse compound of bȳr "town" and lǫg "law"
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